Recipe review request

[kakistos_uk]

Hi All,

Can you please tell me what you think of the suggested recipe below?

Brewmaker Scottish-Heavy (https://www.balliihoo.co.uk/brewmak...html?awid=gs&gclid=COy7lv6SrtMCFQiNGwodOc8EsQ)

Crystal malt for the body (https://www.balliihoo.co.uk/#crushed-crystal-malt-500g-p-466.html),

Carapils (https://www.balliihoo.co.uk/#crushed-carapils-malt-500g-p-1805.html) for head retention

LME instead of sugar (normally coopers amber)

Hops such as Progress or Golding/Fuggles for 4-5 days before bottling (tied up in a muslin bag).

Left for to age about a month after bottling…

I’ve never dry hopped before and wanted some feedback… Also, what is hop tea and would it be better? I’m still quite ignorant about hops as I prefer big malty beers…

Thanks!!

 

[BigEd]

I'd cut the crystal & CaraPils addition back to half of those amounts. Malt extract instead of sugar is usually a good idea although my preference would be for dry/spray malt rather than LME. I'd also go with light or pale extract as the LME kit and crystal malts are going to supply enough in the way of color and texture.

This is not a beer style that would typically be dry-hopped. I would skip that. However, as you are adding more fermentables to a pre-hopped kit adding a small quantity (15g ?) of a medium AA% UK hop (5-8%) to the kettle will help keep the overall style profile in balance.

 

[Comfort_Zone]

Yeah, I'd cut the crystal back. If you want head retention you can just nix the carapils and replace it with something like torrefied wheat. At such small amounts it won't affect flavor and it'll do way more for foam than carapils.

 

[BigEd]

Torrified wheat would need to be mashed, however.

 

[Comfort_Zone]

Torrified wheat would need to be mashed, however.

No more than the crystal or carapils would. The goal is to extract the proline-rich proteins. Will there be a little starch extracted? Yes, but likely less than a gravity point. I've used it in extract batches with great results.

 

[BigEd]

No more than the crystal or carapils would. The goal is to extract the proline-rich proteins. Will there be a little starch extracted? Yes, but likely less than a gravity point. I've used it in extract batches with great results.

Suit yourself but I don't think it is a particularly good idea to add starch to wort. Crystal malt and most brands of CaraPils have been mashed and their starches have been converted to sugars and dextrins.

 

[Comfort_Zone]

I mean wheat malt would work too, and it'll self-convert during the steep as well as convert the dextrins in the crystal malt as well.